T
The420Guy
Guest
Washington, DC: To help stimulate a healthy public debate over marijuana
law reform recommendations recently issued by the Governor Gary Johnson's
Drug Policy Advisory Group, the NORML Foundation has launched a radio and
print ad campaign in New Mexico focused on the need to decriminalize the
personal use of marijuana and to legalize medical use.
The 60-second radio ads began airing this week, and will run over 600
times over the next three weeks on a total of five stations in
Albuquerque and one station in Santa Fe, the state capitol. The ads
stress the need to stop arresting responsible smokers and to permit
seriously ill patients to use marijuana as a medicine, if recommended by
a physician.
In addition, the NORML Foundation has placed a half-page ad on the op/ed
page of the state's largest newspaper, the Albuquerque Journal, to run on
Sunday, January 21. This ad, which utilizes a photo of some gangsters
with automatic weapons from the era of alcohol prohibition, has the
headline "Remember Prohibition? It still doesn't work."
The Foundation decided to invest in this campaign -- part of a broader,
national advertising campaign over the course of the next year -- because
of the increasingly favorable political climate that has resulted from
Gov. Johnson's strong support for ending the drug war and legalizing
marijuana, and the recently released report issued by the governor's Drug
Policy Advisory Group. Among their recommendations was a call to
eliminate criminal penalties for the possession of up to one ounce of
marijuana by adults, and to legalize the medical use of marijuana by
seriously ill patients.
Starting next week, NORML will begin actively lobbying New Mexican
legislators. NORML Executive Director Keith Stroup and drug policy expert
Dr. John P. Morgan, professor of pharmacology at the City University of
New York Medical School, will spend three days in Santa Fe, meeting with
legislators and helping build support for the two marijuana reform
proposals. Dr. Morgan is widely published on drug policy issues, and is
the co-author of "Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts," a popular book that
examines the research on marijuana. The following week Stroup will
return to Santa Fe with drug policy expert Dr. Lester Grinspoon,
professor at the Harvard Medical School (Emeritus). Dr. Grinspoon has
published 12 books on drug policy, including "Marihuana Reconsidered" and
"Marihuana, the Forbidden Medicine."
"We want to stimulate a healthy public debate over marijuana policy in
New Mexico, and to make certain patients and responsible recreational
users are well represented in this debate," said NORML Foundation
Executive Director Allen St. Pierre. "We have private polling that shows
we enjoy majority support for these reforms among the general public
nationwide, and I expect the same is true for residents of New Mexico.
Yet patients cannot currently use marijuana as a medicine legally in New
Mexico, and more than 3,000 recreational users are arrested each year,
mostly on minor marijuana charges."
For more information, please contact Keith Stroup, NORML Executive
Director at (202) 483-5500 or Allen St. Pierre, NORML Foundation
Executive Director at (202) 483-8751. New Mexico media interested in
talking with Mr. Stroup or Drs. Morgan and Grinspoon should contact Mr.
Stroup.
Medical Marijuana Legislation Introduced In TX and CT
Bills allowing for the medical use of marijuana have been introduced in
the House of Representatives in the states of Texas and Connecticut.
Texas Bill Would Provide An Affirmative Defense For Patients
Austin, TX: A bill legalizing the medical use of marijuana has been
introduced in the Texas House of Representatives.
House Bill 513, introduced by Rep. Terry Keel (R-District 47) and
cosponsored by Rep. Suzanna Hupp (R-District 54) and Rep. Juan Hinojosa
(D-District 40), would create an affirmative defense against prosecution
for the use of marijuana for patients who have a recommendation from a
licensed physician to treat their medical condition.
"People have long dismissed Texas as a wasteland of ignorance and
intolerance," said Rick Day, State Coordinator of Texas NORML. "With HB
513, the legislature shows great clarity, compassion and maturity in
addressing this medical issue. We applaud Rep. Keel and the other
sponsors of this bill, and urge fence sitting legislators to ask
themselves one question: 'Am I for, or against, cancer patients?'"
Day continued, "Texas NORML endorses and supports this first step in
ending the 80-year war against responsible Texas consumers of cannabis.
We plan on educating the public and rallying support on this issue."
For more information, please contact Rick Day (972) 392-0959 or visit
www.normltexas.org.
Connecticut Bill Would Create State Registry For Patients
Hartford, CT: A bill allowing for the medical use of marijuana for
patients who possess a doctor's recommendation was recently introduced in
the Connecticut House of Representatives. The bill has been referred to
the Committee on Public Health for consideration.
House Bill 5666, introduced by Rep. James Abrams (D-District 83), would
allow patients to legally use marijuana if they have been diagnosed by a
physician as having a debilitating medical condition in which the use of
marijuana would outweigh "the health risks" for the patient. A state
registry of patients would be established under the terms of the
legislation.
"The Connecticut legislature established a commission to examine drug
policies and recommend significant reforms," said Keith Stroup, NORML
Executive Director. "In their report, issued in 1997, they advised the
legislature to decriminalize the personal use of marijuana and to
legalize medical use. Following some delay, it appears the legislature is
beginning to implement those important recommendations."
For more information, please contact Keith Stroup, NORML Executive
Director at (202) 483-5500 or Scott Colvin, NORML Publications Director.
NORML Foundation
1001 Connecticut Ave., ste. 710
Washington, DC 20036
tel: (202) 483-8751
fax: (202) 483-0057
E-mail: natlnorml@norml.org
Internet: www.norml.org
law reform recommendations recently issued by the Governor Gary Johnson's
Drug Policy Advisory Group, the NORML Foundation has launched a radio and
print ad campaign in New Mexico focused on the need to decriminalize the
personal use of marijuana and to legalize medical use.
The 60-second radio ads began airing this week, and will run over 600
times over the next three weeks on a total of five stations in
Albuquerque and one station in Santa Fe, the state capitol. The ads
stress the need to stop arresting responsible smokers and to permit
seriously ill patients to use marijuana as a medicine, if recommended by
a physician.
In addition, the NORML Foundation has placed a half-page ad on the op/ed
page of the state's largest newspaper, the Albuquerque Journal, to run on
Sunday, January 21. This ad, which utilizes a photo of some gangsters
with automatic weapons from the era of alcohol prohibition, has the
headline "Remember Prohibition? It still doesn't work."
The Foundation decided to invest in this campaign -- part of a broader,
national advertising campaign over the course of the next year -- because
of the increasingly favorable political climate that has resulted from
Gov. Johnson's strong support for ending the drug war and legalizing
marijuana, and the recently released report issued by the governor's Drug
Policy Advisory Group. Among their recommendations was a call to
eliminate criminal penalties for the possession of up to one ounce of
marijuana by adults, and to legalize the medical use of marijuana by
seriously ill patients.
Starting next week, NORML will begin actively lobbying New Mexican
legislators. NORML Executive Director Keith Stroup and drug policy expert
Dr. John P. Morgan, professor of pharmacology at the City University of
New York Medical School, will spend three days in Santa Fe, meeting with
legislators and helping build support for the two marijuana reform
proposals. Dr. Morgan is widely published on drug policy issues, and is
the co-author of "Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts," a popular book that
examines the research on marijuana. The following week Stroup will
return to Santa Fe with drug policy expert Dr. Lester Grinspoon,
professor at the Harvard Medical School (Emeritus). Dr. Grinspoon has
published 12 books on drug policy, including "Marihuana Reconsidered" and
"Marihuana, the Forbidden Medicine."
"We want to stimulate a healthy public debate over marijuana policy in
New Mexico, and to make certain patients and responsible recreational
users are well represented in this debate," said NORML Foundation
Executive Director Allen St. Pierre. "We have private polling that shows
we enjoy majority support for these reforms among the general public
nationwide, and I expect the same is true for residents of New Mexico.
Yet patients cannot currently use marijuana as a medicine legally in New
Mexico, and more than 3,000 recreational users are arrested each year,
mostly on minor marijuana charges."
For more information, please contact Keith Stroup, NORML Executive
Director at (202) 483-5500 or Allen St. Pierre, NORML Foundation
Executive Director at (202) 483-8751. New Mexico media interested in
talking with Mr. Stroup or Drs. Morgan and Grinspoon should contact Mr.
Stroup.
Medical Marijuana Legislation Introduced In TX and CT
Bills allowing for the medical use of marijuana have been introduced in
the House of Representatives in the states of Texas and Connecticut.
Texas Bill Would Provide An Affirmative Defense For Patients
Austin, TX: A bill legalizing the medical use of marijuana has been
introduced in the Texas House of Representatives.
House Bill 513, introduced by Rep. Terry Keel (R-District 47) and
cosponsored by Rep. Suzanna Hupp (R-District 54) and Rep. Juan Hinojosa
(D-District 40), would create an affirmative defense against prosecution
for the use of marijuana for patients who have a recommendation from a
licensed physician to treat their medical condition.
"People have long dismissed Texas as a wasteland of ignorance and
intolerance," said Rick Day, State Coordinator of Texas NORML. "With HB
513, the legislature shows great clarity, compassion and maturity in
addressing this medical issue. We applaud Rep. Keel and the other
sponsors of this bill, and urge fence sitting legislators to ask
themselves one question: 'Am I for, or against, cancer patients?'"
Day continued, "Texas NORML endorses and supports this first step in
ending the 80-year war against responsible Texas consumers of cannabis.
We plan on educating the public and rallying support on this issue."
For more information, please contact Rick Day (972) 392-0959 or visit
www.normltexas.org.
Connecticut Bill Would Create State Registry For Patients
Hartford, CT: A bill allowing for the medical use of marijuana for
patients who possess a doctor's recommendation was recently introduced in
the Connecticut House of Representatives. The bill has been referred to
the Committee on Public Health for consideration.
House Bill 5666, introduced by Rep. James Abrams (D-District 83), would
allow patients to legally use marijuana if they have been diagnosed by a
physician as having a debilitating medical condition in which the use of
marijuana would outweigh "the health risks" for the patient. A state
registry of patients would be established under the terms of the
legislation.
"The Connecticut legislature established a commission to examine drug
policies and recommend significant reforms," said Keith Stroup, NORML
Executive Director. "In their report, issued in 1997, they advised the
legislature to decriminalize the personal use of marijuana and to
legalize medical use. Following some delay, it appears the legislature is
beginning to implement those important recommendations."
For more information, please contact Keith Stroup, NORML Executive
Director at (202) 483-5500 or Scott Colvin, NORML Publications Director.
NORML Foundation
1001 Connecticut Ave., ste. 710
Washington, DC 20036
tel: (202) 483-8751
fax: (202) 483-0057
E-mail: natlnorml@norml.org
Internet: www.norml.org